Monday, August 31, 2015

Article 10 of the Federal Constitution guarantees the rights of every citizen to freedom of speech, expression, assembly and to form association. The Government of Malaysia is entrusted with the responsibilities to ensure that these fundamental rights are in no way compromised.

Workers, including those in the public sector, are human beings, and have the right and freedom to actively participate in political, socio-economic and cultural life of the nation. All workers have the right to freedom of expression, opinion and to participate in peaceful assembly.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Three hundred workers today lost their jobs at the Naza plant in Kedah that assembles Peugeot and Kia cars as poor car sales begin biting the country's auto industry.

Car sales nationwide slipped in July to 58,646 units from 60,269 units in the same month last year, according to statistics from the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).

From January to July this year, the total sale of vehicles was 380,830 units down from 393,425 units in the corresponding period last year.

The association had previously predicted that sales of vehicles this year would be lower than last year due to the introduction of the goods and services tax in April, with consumers adopting a 'wait-and-see' approach.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 26 /CSRwire/ - The Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC), a nonprofit coalition of leading electronics companies dedicated to supply chain responsibility, today announced the launch of a foreign migrant worker protection pilot program that aims to improve communications in electronics factories by providing workers with more effective ways to report issues related to social, environmental and ethical responsibility. The name of the program is Suara Kita, which is Malay for "Our Voice."

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Its vice-president says the weakening ringgit coupled with wage suppression is taking a heavy toll on those from the lower income bracket.

PETALING JAYA: The government must step in immediately to ease the heavy burden of those from the lower income bracket who are reeling from the effects of the weak ringgit and wage suppression by freezing the Goods and Services Tax (GST), said J Solomon in his capacity as vice president of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC).

Relief
The Court has taken into consideration the fact that the
Claimant was sent by the Company for special training at Thales,
France which he has completed the Court opines that his services
may be beneficial to the Company. The facts and evidence do not
allude to any trust and confidence in the Claimant being lost as
the Claimant was not dismissed from poor performance or serious
acts of misconduct by the Company. Given his age and training
the Court opines that reinstalling the him will serve towards
justice achieved.
Accordingly the Court deems it fit to order that the Claimant
be reinstated to his former position in the Company so that he
could put his training and knowledge gained to good use for the
Company's benefit. The Court orders that the Company
reinstates the Claimant within 30 days from the date of service of
this Award without loss of salary, seniority and other benefits,
monetary or otherwise. The Court orders that the Claimant be
paid back wages from the date of dismissal based on the last
drawn salary of the Claimant together with all other monetary
benefits less statutory deductions if any. The Claimant is ordered
to report back to the Company not later than 30 days from the
date of the service of this Award. The Court orders that all
monetary benefits be paid to the Claimant within 30 days from
the date hereby through his Solicitors Messrs. Murugavell
Arumugam & Co.

Close to a 1,000 workers employed by the Australian company Ansell at the Biyagama Export Processing Zone in Sri Lanka went on strike in October 2013 for the right to form their own union. They are still fighting to establish their own union. Union representatives attempted to come to Melbourne, Australia in 2014 where the headquarters of Ansell are located, but weredenied a visa. This time, Anton Marcus, the General Secretary of the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union (FTZGSEU), is in Melbourne and a solidarity protest is planned for Tuesday 25 August. Against a global company like Ansell, that has facilities in 35 countries, co-ordinated action by Ansell workers in other countries would be the most powerful strategy.

Recently we reported that the Migrant Trade Union (MTU) in South Korea had won legal recognition following a decade of struggle and a Supreme Court decision. This victory was immediately curtailed by the South Korean ministry of Labour which imposed legal hurdles preventing registration of the MTU. Labour activists then initiated a campaign for full recognition and better rights. This week, the MTU finally won, bringing to end a struggle that began a decade ago.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

The Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) today expressed concerned that several scandals plaguing the nation is eroding confidence and causing a flight of investors, leading to unemployment.

“MTUC is deeply concerned about the state of affairs in Malaysia and its impact on workers,” said its secretary-general N Gopal Kishnam.

Among the scandals he said, are the RM2.6 billion deposited into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s personal bank accounts, alleged wrongdoing of state-owned 1MDB, and the apparent interference of investigations into these scandals.

“All these, including the falling Malaysian ringgit which MTUC believes is also because of the above, may have a negative impact on workers,” he said in a statement today.

Gopal (photo) said businesses seek a clean and corruption-free government, effective legal mechanisms and proper enforcement as reasons to remain in Malaysia.

He pointed out that already, several companies have withdrawn from Malaysia or are planning to do so, leading to thousands of workers losing their jobs.

“Of late, there has been news that many factories, like JVCKenwood Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Ansell Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Fairchild Semiconductor International Inc have closed down, or will be closing down, which will leave thousands of workers unemployed,” said Gopal.

Malaysian Trade Union Congress President, Khalid Atan says that the Congress is against en bloc applications by SMEs to defer implementation of minimum wage. Any application has to be on individual basis. Khalid also clarifies the events of the Feb 27th meeting with the National Wages Consultative Council (MPGN) that led to a walkout by SME representatives.Khalid Atan: MTUC against en bloc deferral of...oleh kinitv

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Malaysian Trade Union
Congress(MTUC) is deeply concerned about the state of affairs in Malaysia and
its impact on workers.

What has surfaced is,
amongst others, the allegation of corruption against Prime Minister Najib Tun
Razak in connection with the about RM2.6 billion allegedly found in his
personal bank accounts, the allegation of
‘wrongs’ done by 1MDB, related companies and possibly other
government-linked companies (GLCs). There is also the perception that there is also interference in
various available investigation mechanisms in Malaysia, be it the Malaysian
Anti Corruption Commission(MACC), the Attorney General’s Chambers, police,
Public Accounts Committee(PAC) of the Parliament, the Special Task Force and
others. All these, including the dropping Malaysian ringgit which MTUC believes
is also because of the above, may have a negative impact on workers.

Many businesses and investors
consider a ‘clean corrupt free’ government, effective legal mechanisms and
proper enforcement for justice as an attractive reason to come set up their
businesses in Malaysia, or even remain in Malaysia.

The government should invest in Malaysians, instead of spending money to bring in and train 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers, the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) says.

"MTUC feels it is better if locals are given enough training, as well as good wages, to absorb them into the 3D - dangerous, difficult and dirty sector," MTUC secretary-general N Gopal Kishnam said today.

Gopal (photo) said while locals may not be interested in 3D jobs now, better wages could change their minds.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

A firm owned by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s brother is in talks with Dhaka and Putrajaya to provide a management system for the 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers Malaysia intends to allow in through a new business-to-business system.

Real Time Networking Sdn Bhd, in which Zahid’s brother Abdul Hakim Hamidi is executive chairperson, aims to provide an online system where, for a fee, workers can be registered and monitored from Bangladesh and Malaysia.

Zahid is also home minister, and the approval of foreign workers into Malaysia comes under his ministry’s purview.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Four union leaders from Thailand's TG Union have today been ordered to pay over nine million US dollars in damages to Thai Airways Company (Thai Airways), after peaceful protests in 2013 resulted in a collective agreement for workers at the airline

MP SPEAKS Civil society groups, including NGOs, trade unions and employers’ associations, should welcome Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s offer to meet up with them to explain the rationale behind plans to import 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers in the next three years

This meeting is extremely crucial, as the entire strategy is wrong for many reasons. And it doesn’t seem to be clearly thought out as well.

The 11th Malaysia Plan stipulates that by 2020, about 1.5 million new jobs will be created, with improvements in labour productivity and reduced dependency on low-skilled foreign workers.